Rave in the Cave

I studied abroad in New Zealand my first semester of my junior year of college. It seemed like a safe place (more my mother's concerns than my own), and I didn't have to learn another language. I picked the University of Otago in Dunedin.

Dunedin is on the very southernmost part of the South Island. It's quite a lovely city. Actually, New Zealand in general is a breath-taking place to be.

Fall 2008

Tunnel Beach

Dunedin, New Zealand

It was actually going from winter into spring at the time I was in NZ (their seasons are opposite that of North America). One weekend my friends and I planned to go to Long Beach to spend the night in this massive cave we found a few weeks back. We thought it was going to be the same like last time - just a handful friends, a campfire, some tents, the usual deal. Nope! It turned out to be quite the gathering.

I don't even know how many people made it out to Long Beach that night. At least one hundred? Maybe more? Who knows, I could be exaggerating. There was a huge bonfire lighting up a good portion of the cavern, camping tents set up along the walls of the cave and along the beach... Somehow five kegs appeared (classy, right?). Someone drove their van all the way along the beach, parked it inside the cave, popped out large speakers, and pumpped out music all night long. And to top it all off, fire dancers showed up. Fire dancers. Blogger refuses to let me upload the picture of fire dancers in action. You'll just have to use your imagination. Nonetheless I have to admit, it was quite the night.

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Back to 2011, I excitedly finished my most recent necklace only to be stumped about what to name it. It's quite a stunning statement piece and it needed a fabulous name to go with it. I proudly showed my boyfriend my close up shots of the druzy agate slices and he immediately suggested "Rave in the Cave." I loved it.